Leadership and Courage

Courage has many faces.  It doesn’t always show up complete with epaulets and a shiny sword yelling “Charge!!”  In fact, I would suggest it more often demands a much subtler approach.  Either way, courage is not something we can buy or fake.  It lives in the heart of our character.  And, it is something we hope to have enough of when we need it most.

Brave leaders go first and inspire others to find their own courage. They defy convention. They admit their mistakes, apologize and make amends when they are wrong.  Brave leaders explore unknown territory in service of something greater than themselves.  They deliver bad news with clarity, determination and compassion. And, they stay the course when the going gets tough

Brave leaders, too, frequently look in their personal, and organizational mirrors to find something in themselves or in the systems they create that works against their potential for achieving their goals. This calls for a special kind of courage, one that can feel less noble than the others.  But workplaces have little hope of thriving long if this work goes unattended or is swept under the rug in hopes that no one will notice.

Here’s a case in point. A few weeks ago, I met with a friend, a niche specialist in communication.   She shared this story with me.

On being invited to meet with the CEO of a company to discuss business opportunities, she entered the premises and almost immediately detected a certain tension in the air.  And, while people were impeccably polite to her, she noticed that throughout the office, no one was smiling.

The CEO, a clever and efficient woman, appeared to have all the hallmarks of a successful business leader.  At some point in the conversation, she asked my friend if she did other communications work because she had noticed that the e-mails being passed among her staff and out to customers had a tone that seemed terse and unwelcoming.  The CEO asked my friend if she could possibly fix that with some communications training.

Of course, my friend, a smart and intuitive woman herself, knew all too well where this conversation was headed.  Could she ‘fix’ the tone of the emails being sent from this office?  Yes, she could do that.   The bigger question…why people were writing snarky emails went unanswered.  It could be that this CEO had no idea why but, when pressed, she also was not willing to ‘go there’

This is not an unfamiliar story.  In fact, I would hazard to say that more companies than we’d like to think spend inordinate amounts of time and money addressing unpleasant symptoms if only to be able to say they are doing something to improve their employee, and by association, customer experience.

We know of course that underneath it all lurk many cans of worms and a few Pandora’s Boxes that need opening before anything can be truly resolved.  This is where that special kind of courage comes in.  It is the kind that asks us to face our imperfect selves; to find our humility and to lay ourselves open to closer examination.

When I think about courage in leadership, this quote comes to mind,

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. ” ~ Ambrose Redmoon

Good leadership is about focusing on what’s really important among other things.  Sometimes that means having the courage to relentlessly pursue truth, even at the cost of personal pride, in service of building something everyone can be proud of.

That’s what I think anyway. What do you think?

A Look at the Bones of Leadership… With The Iron Lady

Margaret Thatcher.  This name means different things to different people.  Some vilify her for her uncompromising approach. Others praise her for the same reason.

Whatever side of the fence you may fall with respect to Mrs Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister of Great Britain, there is one indisputable truth.  Margaret Thatcher was a leader.

If you gather that the subject of this post began with a trip to the movies, you would be right.  Meryl Streep’s riveting performance in The Iron Lady has indeed given rise to my curiosity and deeper thought about what lies in the bones of leadership

There are four things that come to mind

Abiding Purpose

Margaret Thatcher was driven by an abiding purpose to preserve the British way of life and restore its reputation on the world stage.  All else came in a distant second.  For many, how she went about fulfilling that purpose remains the source of great controversy.  Some people, who were negatively and personally affected by her decisions, may never forgive her for the change she brought to their lives.  Others will hold her up without hesitation as Britain’s savior at a time of great turmoil and indecision.  Regardless of the perspective, Mrs Thatcher seems to have always known what she was there to do and why it was important to do it.

Courage

The courage required of a world leader, like Margaret Thatcher is the kind of courage that compelled her to stand up in the face of great opposition and fight for what she believed.  Sometimes she fought alone.  But, she did it anyway because it was important and because as leader, it was her job to take risks and make decisions others shrank from.

Vulnerability

The bigger the job the more exposed is the leader.  When you make the kind of decisions that affect people’s lives, some will love you for it.  Some will not.   The business of leadership is not primarily about making friends. It is about challenging the status quo; helping others see what you see and changing something.  It invites criticism and sometimes, treachery.

Humility

Humility is not about being soft or weak nor is it about lacking confidence. Humility can sometimes roar. A truly humble leader will know exactly what she has to offer to the world, so much so that she will use all the precious time at her disposal to focus outwardly, on her goals and doing whatever it takes to accomplish them.  Margaret Thatcher once said, “ In my day, we would resolve to do something. Now, they resolve to be someone” 

If you are here, chances are you are not a World leader. So, you may ask; what does all of this have to do with me? Well, I think these four core leadership elements apply to everyone who wants to make a difference.  In a way, no matter if you run a small business, a large corporation, or  want to be the best parent you can be, it comes down to this:

• The road to success is paved with intention.  Know your purpose and know, too, why it’s important
• No matter what you do, the decisions you make will not please everyone.  Don’t waste your time trying.  Some will love you.  Some will not.  In the end, it rarely matters. In times of doubt, be guided by your purpose.
• Be brave.  Make change.  Put strength behind your convictions.  Challenge complacency. Invite participation, discussion and involvement.
• Know that rarely is anything about you.

The movie showed Baroness Thatcher, as she is today, not very well and suffering from dementia.  Some have criticized the decision to show this.  To me though, it illustrates only too clearly that power diminishes and when all is said and done, we are  left with only ourselves.

What do you think?

Message to New Leaders – Bring Your Courage to Work

Every now and then, I contemplate how difficult is to lead and what it takes to carry it off with respect and dignity.  My reflections always include the courage it takes to deliver bad news. This week’s post is a reprise of one I wrote almost two years ago.  I think it might be worth the repeat performance.  What do you think?

Have you ever had to fire someone?  Not a very savory task and yet, stuff happens. Jobs are eliminated or people don’t perform as expected and someone has to deliver the bad news.  If you are a new leader, and if that someone is you, you will need to summon your courage to do it properly.

Here’s what can happen if you don’t.

Many years ago I had to terminate a young woman’s employment. She was not performing well and it seemed that she, and the job to which she was assigned, simply did not fit.  Of course, the prospect of firing someone  was a very unpleasant and scary one.  I liked the woman.  I also knew that she could ill afford to lose her job at that moment.

So I tried to do it gently.  I took her aside and fed her a lot of platitudes to try and smooth away the hurt that was going to come.  I talked and talked.  I ummed and aahed.  I skirted and danced around the issue and took care of my own discomfort first. And, when our interview ended, I was sure that I had delivered the message well.  I felt better anyway

In fact, I was quite pleased with myself, even a little smug…until the next day… when she came to work as usual having no idea that she had been fired the day before.

Of course I had to do it again.  And this time, I had to cut to the chase. It was very embarrassing for both of us and doubly distressing for her because her embarrassment was heaped on top of the shock of realizing that she no longer had a job. She didn’t deserve that.

If I had used more courage and been more direct with her I might have spared her dignity.  As it was, I know she blamed herself for not getting the message even though it was entirely my fault. It was a bad job on my part and I have never forgotten the lesson I took from it.  Here it is:

As a leader, there will be occasions when you will have to navigate through hard times. You will have to deliver bad news.  You will have to confront people and issues to ensure that your business continues to move in a positive  direction.  You will sometimes have to stand alone against great opposition.  And, you will have to do these things clearly, succinctly and respectfully.  That means wherever you go, your courage will have to go with you.

And by the way, if you ever do have to fire someone, here’s a link that will help you to do it,  properly.

When have you had to step up? Care to share?

Leadership ~ What’s Love Got To Do With It?

I have never thought of myself as being particularly religious.  In fact, truth be told, I am downright cynical about religion.  But I do believe in the power of the human spirit.  I believe in empathy, in kindness… and in love.   I also believe there is a place for all of these in the workplace, that leadership is as much about these things as it is about building market share, managing the bottom line or developing strategic alliances.  These softer elements of ourselves make the difference between our being human and automaton. They are also most often the elements we deny, perhaps because they make us feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.

But, as long as we choose to work with human beings, these elements will be present.   Perhaps the question is then, how do we encourage and value them without getting all, well, mushy about it?

First of all it might be helpful to look at leadership and love in action.  This is a short promo video featuring a guy named Nick Vujicic.  Nick was born with no limbs.  In this video he talks to schoolchildren.  Watch and look, not at Nick, but at the faces of the children as he speaks to them.

Inspiring huh? if you’re anything like me you will have needed a hankie at some point.  But, all of that aside, I’m wondering about the lessons that business leaders can learn from Nick and how these lessons can be practically applied in the workplace.

Here are some of my thoughts about that.

People are capable of doing more than they think.

Their leaders would do well to remember this and to know too, that they just need a reason to want to try.  That means recognizing potential and encouraging those who have it, to reach beyond what they believe to be their limit.  They will do it if they know you believe in them; if their efforts are acknowledged; and if they are not punished when, from time to time, they fail.

Inspiring others does not have to be elaborate

Nick conveyed the message to me that you don’t have to have a big fanfare to inspire others.  You do have to be a good role model though.  And you do have to find ways of seeing things through their eyes and coming to understand what might be getting in the way of their delivering the best of themselves when they come to work each day.  That’s the hard part.  It’s also the part that no big incentive program can hope to convey.  Simply listening, understanding and acknowledging will, I think, have a more positive effect.

Pessimism is the Enemy

It is clear from the video that in spite of his significant challenges, Nick is a happy person.  He is also a realistic person who prefers not to spend his time wishing for things that are outside the realm of his control.  He focuses instead on what is possible now and what could be possible in his future.  He never gives up.

For leaders to create a working environment where this kind of optimism rules, they must avoid bemoaning what is missing and embrace what is there to create and to build on.  As mentioned in an earlier post, attitude is catching.  A Pessimistic attitude spreads like wildfire and serves only to undermine even the most noble of efforts.

The bottom line, for me, is this.  Anyone who leads with empathy and in the knowledge that people are at their best when they are respected, challenged, acknowledged and held accountable for their own behaviour and contribution, is a person who also leads with, (yes, wait for it now) Love.

What do you think?  What did you see that I missed?

In Praise of Bossy Women

I have never considered myself to be bossy, (having inherited my father’s more conciliatory disposition), but the older I get, the bossier I become.

The women in my family are like that…bossy.  They have been bossy for generations in fact.

My great grandmother raised four daughters and, with her husband, ran a dry goods store somewhere in the south of Cornwall.  My great grandfather was a handsome devil, with, (I’m told), something of a roving eye.  I imagine great grandma must have had to fend for herself on many an occasion.  Being bossy probably came in handy.

And there were others:

My maternal grandmother, married a sailor and spent some years raising her three children on her own, while my grandfather served in the Merchant Navy during WWI, and afterwards too. Bossiness was a necessary skill.  And, when my grandfather returned home from his travels, and later became ill, Nana took constant care of him.  It probably helped for her to be a little bossy then too.

My paternal Grandmother was also a Shopkeeper.  She married a man with little ambition, I’m told, and a penchant for gambling and drink.   Together they had five sons.  During the 1920s and 30s everything was scarce, at least for them.  Grandma bought her shop when the opportunity presented.  She sold things like bacon and processed meat on one side of it and on the other, tinned goods, cigarettes and the heaven that was chocolate bars and sweets.  She raised chickens in her back yard too.  Dad often said that if not for his mother, they might have starved.  She was determined and focused and yes, probably a little bossy too.

When dad’s parents both became ill with cancer, my Auntie Ethel took care of them.  Auntie Ethel was a wonderful woman.  On first glance, she might have been described as “homely”.  But in every other sense, she was a beauty.  It was Auntie Ethel who saw the intelligence in my father and insisted that he go to high school, in spite of opposition from his brothers and perhaps certain indifference from my grandparents.  Auntie Ethel was a driving force in my father’s life and he loved her even though, or perhaps because, she was bossy.

My mother defied the convention of the early fifties and sixties by working full-time while having a family.  Luckily, my parents had a great partnership, with dad sharing the domestic workload happily.  The world however, was not particularly approving of her.  When confronted by the Principal of my elementary school about her “duty” to remain home to care for her children, she raised herself up to her greatest height of five foot three and told him to where to go.  She was a force to be reckoned with and one who successfully propelled (and yes, bossed) me through my years of excruciating shyness and self-doubt.

When I reflect on these stories, I am reminded that leadership comes in many forms.   And sometimes being bossy can be a good thing.

Sometimes you just have to stand up and be counted: tell people what’s what and sort things out.  Sometimes it’s the only way to get things done…or survive.

So go ahead, choose your times carefully, but be bossy every now and then.  Just don’t be like my Auntie Flossie.  She crossed the line into the land of tyranny and my uncle Reg no doubt died before his time, just so he could get some peace.

So, when have you had to stand up and be counted just to get things done?

Who are the people in your life who have propelled you forward?

When do you think it’s a good thing to be bossy?

Oh, and just in case you are on the receiving end of some bossiness, here’s a link that will help you to think through it.

The Story of a Great Leader

If you were to ask me to describe someone who demonstrated greatness in leadership, I might be tempted to paint the picture of a larger- than- life super hero, perhaps a president, a king, or a captain of industry.

I might not come up with Roberta Guaspari.

No, Roberta would not be the first person that would come to mind when I thought about greatness in leadership.  But nevertheless, Roberta is indeed a great leader.

Roberta Guaspari teaches children to play the violin.  When she first started, she was a single parent to two young boys.  To earn her living she arranged to provide violin lessons in school to the children of East Harlem.  What she had going for her was the love of music; the ability to play and the strong desire to make a difference to children whose opportunities were limited by their circumstances.

She has a passionate vision that is clear to everyone who comes across her or her story.   Her vision is “for kids to have music in their lives”

She believes that her vision is important because music, “empowers these children with the ability to make something beautiful that allows them to believe in themselves and know they’re special” This is her primary purpose, to help children love music, play music and believe in themselves.

Roberta’s primary purpose is not about money or attention for herself.  It is about something bigger than that, much bigger.  She is a great leader because not only can she see a better future for the children she teaches, she helps them get there, even against great odds.

In 1991, Roberta’s music program was cut from the school board budget.   That meant that not only was she out of a job but the children (and their parents), who so depended on her, would lose something that had become vital to their development and future.

Roberta did not back down.

Instead, she kept her focus.  She forged relationships with people who had the power to help.  And they did.  She plucked up her courage and made much larger strides that I suspect even she thought herself capable of. Throughout it all, it seems that she never lost sight of her primary purpose.

Empathy, Vision, Focus, Determination, Courage, …and a violin, This is what makes Roberta Guaspari a great leader.

The violin, notwithstanding, I assert that these qualities are common among great leaders of all descriptions.

• They have clear, well-articulated visions of the future

• They lead with great will, humility and focus

• They build strong relationships with a variety of people

• They strive to achieve things that are greater than themselves and for the greater good

Of course you  may know that a movie about Roberta’s life and accomplishments was made, starring Meryl Streep.  If you have seen the movie, what do you think?  What have I missed?

What does greatness look like to you?  What do you want for those you lead?

Dear Tiger….Showing Up is Important

No doubt we have all read about Tiger Woods’ recent “adventure”.   I have been thinking that the negative publicity surrounding the incident must be agonizing for him and his family.  And yet, as a famous person and one who is a role model for so many there must be a message for him in there somewhere, not only as a human being, but also as a leader.

So, here is my letter to him

Dear Tiger,

First, let me say that I am truly sorry for your trouble, whatever it is.  It seems that like the rest of us, you have “stuff” to work through and I wish you well with that, human to human.

Here’s the thing though.  Whether you like it or not, people are interested in your life and what you do with it. You have accomplished some pretty amazing things in your relatively young life and you have given the world, (especially its young people), an outstanding role model to follow.  It seems rather natural for us to be curious when something happens to you that doesn’t fit with that image. And so, when I hear that you have withdrawn from fulfilling your commitment to show up at your own tournament this week, I worry a little.

Of course, if your injuries have truly rendered you incapable of being there, then I apologize for mentioning it but my hunch is that there is more at play here than just the prospect of “playing hurt”.  After all, you have done that before and achieved some really admirable results.

This is different though isn’t it?  This involves embarrassment.  You have made a mistake. The nature of it is your own business, but it is nonetheless a personal mistake that has drawn public attention and a potential feeding frenzy from those whose motives are less than honorable. I can honestly see why you would want to stay at home and hide…really.  But, in choosing to do that, for what it’s worth, I think you are making another mistake.

Here’s why:

In times of strife, one of the worst things a leader can do is become invisible.  People depend on their leaders to show up especially when the going gets tough.  Good leadership calls for full engagement of the backbone.  And that means that sometimes, personal feelings must give way to a greater purpose.  This week’s tournament at Thousand Oaks is your own tournament and one that will benefit your charitable foundation.  What message does it send if you choose not to be there because you have suffered an embarrassment?  Perhaps only you can answer that question but my hunch is that by not showing up you are placing far too much emphasis on something that you would rather keep private.

As you have so often said, you are human and as part of the human race, you get to make mistakes.  In my observations of you, I rather think that even though you say it, you really don’t believe that you are entitled to mess up like the rest of us.  Well, here’s a news flash for you. You are allowed…really.  And when you mess up, you’re also allowed to make whatever amends you need to make; forgive yourself and move on, without having to give credence to those who would judge you or attempt to tarnish your reputation.

You are a fine person who will sometimes do things that are not so fine.  People follow you because they admire you as an outstanding golfer and as a person who contributes to making the world a better place.  They don’t follow you because you are perfect.

I think that if you were to attend and participate in your tournament on Thursday, those who admire you will think all the better of you for the courage it took to show up. And, those who want only to pick at the fringes of your soul through gossip and speculation will lose their edge and move on to other, juicier prospects.

It’s just a thought.  Thanks for your time

Sincerely,

Gwyn

Good Coaching…Not For Sissies

Coaching is one of those words that tends to lace everyday language at work but I wonder how many people who are supposed to be doing it actually know what it means or what it takes to be a good coach?

I don’t know about you, but there was a time when, on hearing the word coach, my mind automatically dredged up visions of cheerleaders and marching bands and all those sports analogies that we all love to hate but for which we have yet to find decent replacements.

And yet I have come to know coaching as a very powerful tool.  That makes it worth talking about and worth doing.

There is no magic formula for becoming a good coach.  Like most things worthwhile, it takes work. Period.

But, in the interests of starting somewhere, here’s what a good coach looks like to me:

• A good coach will be genuinely interested in knowing me

This does not mean that I expect you to be my best friend.  What it does mean is that you will make an effort to understand my capabilities, my ambitions and my development needs.  If you don’t take the time to know these things, you will be hard-pressed to know if you are getting my best performance

• A good coach will look past my excuses and challenge me to do my best

Sometimes, I won’t be able to see myself as you see me. Sometimes I will not want to stretch myself for fear that I might fail.  As my coach, you will challenge me to go beyond the unspoken boundaries I have set for myself.  You will not accept my excuses.  You will show your faith in my abilities and my potential to do more by demanding more.  And, should I fail, you will help me to extract the learning from it and move on.

• A good coach will hold me accountable for the commitments I make

When a new idea captures my imagination, it is easy for me to envision bringing it into reality.   And yet, while I will understand the importance of it, there will be times when I need your help to stay the course.  Starting is usually easy.  Finishing is harder.  As my coach I will rely on you to remind me of the importance of completing what I set out to do.  And, if I shift my focus, you will help me ensure that my reasons are valid.

• A good coach will encourage me, support my efforts and celebrate with me when the time is right

There will be times when I question my own abilities; when I need guidance and resources to help me do my work and: when I need acknowledgement for the work I have already done.  As my coach, I will count on you to deliver these things at the times when they are most appropriate.  That will require you to talk with me regularly. Our talks do not have to be long but they must be truthful.  The success of our relationship will depend on it.

So, that’s what a good coach looks like to me.  But, what must a person have in his or her own “kit bag” of characteristics before s/he can hope to successfully fill the role of “good coach”?  Well, I expect there are many but the four that come quickly to my mind are these:

• Self Assurance – If you are to be successful in your coaching efforts, you will often have to suspend your own desire for acknowledgement and work in service of helping someone else shine.  This can be hard on the ego and as such, a healthy sense of self, both in terms of assurance and awareness, will be important.

• Self Discipline – As much as it is important for those you coach to follow through on their commitments, it is as, if not more, important for you, as coach to hold yourself accountable for the commitments you make to them.

• Courage – Coaching often requires difficult conversations.  Courage is a cornerstone of good coaching and of good leadership.  For a good coach or leader there is usually no place to hide.

• A sense of humour – Most good coaches know the value of humour, particularly the self-deprecating kind.  It is an essential tool at work and in life.   Enough said.

If this is all sounding just a tad onerous, you may be wondering what’s in it for you to be a good coach.  Where’s the payoff?  This is where I think it is:

• When those whom you coach do well, you do well

• When you coach others to do their best work, you get optimal results

• Good coaches are often recognized as having valuable leadership capability. And that opens doors for you.

If you have an appetite for more coaching observations, you must go to Mary Jo Asmus’ excellent blog post entitled Coaching, if it’s too hard do you give up?. You won’t be sorry. http://www.aspire-cs.com/coaching-if-its-too-hard-do-you-give-up

So, what does good coaching mean to you?  What would you add?  What challenges do you face as a coach?

Failure, the Other “F” Word

Failure. I don’t like it.  And, I defy anyone to put up a hand and volunteer if asked, “Okay, so who wants to fail today?”

The fact is though, unless we live in a bubble and do nothing, we are going to fail at something.  Failure is a part of living and, often, the very thing that makes success so exhilarating, if only by contrast.

Leaders experience failure all the time. Indeed, it is often failure that gives them the fuel and determination to succeed in the end. So, if you are new to leadership, know that to be a good leader, sometimes you’re also going to fail.

Some people will say that however you look at it, failure is failure.  But I can think of two kinds of failure, the glorious kind and the pointless kind.

Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, talks about glorious failure. As a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh PA, he regularly put out challenges to his students and then gave an award to the team of students that failed to meet their stated objectives.  He gave the award in acknowledgement of their dedication to new ideas; to their willingness to take risk and; to the effort they made toward achieving something that no one else had dared to try.

To me, glorious failures are also those that come from genuine effort.  These are failures that are used as springboards to something else.  They represent a piece of a larger puzzle and are used for learning, growth and exploration.

But, failures become pointless when we don’t pay attention to the lessons they teach.  I expect we do this for a number of reasons.  It can be embarrassing to try something and fall flat on our faces.  So the temptation to pretend it didn’t happen or to find someone to blame is often very strong.

Indeed, in some organizations, there is little tolerance for failure, at least in my experience.  Time is spent, and wasted, in rationalizing and blaming. The lessons that come from failure then become lost and useless.  And, people are less and less willing to explore new possibilities.

When it comes to trying new things I believe that good leaders do two things.

First, they focus on success.  That means they will do whatever they can to anticipate potential pitfalls that could get in the way of achieving their goal and work on mitigating these obstacles so that the way to the goal becomes less onerous.

Second, should they fail to meet their intended objective, they focus on learning. That means they will examine the outcome and circumstances dispassionately with a view to squeezing as much juice out of the situation as possible.  To me, it goes something like this:

• Determine what worked and keep it for use at another time

• Acknowledge what didn’t work and determine what might be done differently next time.

• Take corrective action as required

• Remember the lesson and move on

And, if looking for someone to blame, good leaders look in the mirror first.

Oh, and just in case you want more evidence that failure can indeed lead to success, here are some famous failures for you to contemplate

Your thoughts?

Taking Charge: When Not to Delegate

In leadership, one of the things we are always being reminded of is the importance of delegation, and with good reason.  It not only ensures an even distribution of work and responsibility, it also provides important opportunities for individual exploration and growth. I expect we all agree on that.

But when is it important not to delegate matters to others?

As leaders, regardless of our level in an organization, there are times when we have to rely on our strength of character to call upon our backbone and take charge.

So here are some situations where I think Delegation is not an option:

• When we have to deliver bad news or make a change that we know will not be well received.

Let’s face it, everyone likes to be popular but leadership is not about popularity.  It involves making tough decisions, sometimes decisions that affect jobs and the futures of those who do them. It means not only delivering tough messages personally but staying around to respond to difficult questions and participating in the process of making hard and sometimes upsetting transitions.

• When the objectives of an assignment are unclear or people don’t have the tools they need to get the job done.

Delegating an assignment that is not well thought out or does not include the tools necessary to implement it, is pretty much guaranteeing failure. And, it does little for the people charged with implementation, apart from adding to their frustration level.

It is the leader’s job to ensure clarity around what s/he wants to achieve and to provide the resources necessary to promote success. Turning a concept into an assignment while it is still in its formative stage makes everyone’s job harder.

• When something goes wrong that affects the entire department or company

So let’s say that things are motoring along nicely in your domain.  People are attending to their responsibilities and you are delegating assignments in accordance with your knowledge of their capabilities. Great.

And then, something goes wrong. Someone makes a big mistake that reverberates beyond your sphere of control, affecting other areas of the organization and its reputation.

While you might have delegated the work assignment, the responsibility for the outcome of it rests with you.  That’s why you get paid the big bucks, as they say. It is your job to find out specifically what went wrong and why.  It is your job to work with the person or people involved in bringing the mistake about and taking whatever corrective action is deemed appropriate. And, you are the one that must be accountable. ‘Nuff said.

Here is an article that illustrates the reactions of a number of senior executives when faced with crises in their organizations. The one that comes prominently to mind for me is Michael McCain. He put himself directly in the line of fire when the plant in Ontario became contaminated with the Listeria bacterium. Of course, I’m not sure what the outcome for Maple Leaf would have been had he not stepped up and taken responsibility for a very grave situation, but my hunch is that the company’s recovery would have been seriously in doubt.

• When you are trying something new and the risk of failure is high

In any enterprise, innovation is crucial to growth and sustainability.  As such, risk is an inherent part of business life.  If a project being contemplated carries with it a high risk/reward ratio, it also requires full involvement by the leader. To some extent, this will mitigate the risk and send the message that, while you asking others to “go where no man has gone before” you will be right there with them, to share in the glory…or the blame.

People often say that leadership is not for the faint of heart.  I have described only four situations where a leader must stand up and be counted.  There are no doubt countless others.

What comes to mind for you?